Leisure
Sound That Skates
How New Land Group and Habitech delivered exceptional audio coverage in one of the UK's most ambitious indoor skatepark conversions, powered by Yamaha Commercial.
Converting a disused Sainsbury's supermarket into a thriving indoor skatepark is ambitious by any measure. Add the challenge of delivering clear, even audio across a vast open space with notoriously difficult acoustics, and the scale of the task becomes clear. New Land Group, working alongside Habitech's Technical Audio Sales Manager John Perry, rose to the occasion with a comprehensive Yamaha Commercial solution that transforms the way visitors experience Pitt St Skatepark.
Pitt St Skatepark is a charity-run facility giving young people the opportunity to skate, ride BMX, and scoot in a safe, welcoming environment. The building itself, a former supermarket, presented a unique set of acoustic challenges. High ceilings, hard surfaces, and a cavernous open-plan layout meant that conventional audio approaches would struggle to deliver consistent coverage without excessive reverberation and overlapping signals.
Sue from New Land Group outlined the core requirements: background music that reaches every corner of the facility, combined with clear tannoy announcements audible throughout the space. To achieve this, extensive acoustic modelling was carried out, and bespoke ceiling-mounting solutions were developed to position speakers with precision.
In a space of this size, conventional speakers would result in incoherent sound with overlapping signals. Line array technology limits vertical dispersion, preventing reflections, whilst offering wide horizontal coverage so every person hears clear, consistent audio.
John Perry Technical Audio Sales Manager, HabitechThe solution centred on 12 Yamaha VXL1W-8 line array column speakers, custom-mounted throughout the facility. Line array technology was chosen specifically for its ability to limit vertical dispersion, preventing sound from bouncing off hard ceilings and walls, whilst offering wide horizontal coverage. The result is a full 360-degree audio pattern where every visitor hears clear, consistent sound regardless of their position in the space.
The bespoke ceiling-mounting solutions ensured each speaker was positioned with precision, informed by the extensive acoustic modelling carried out during the design phase. It is a thoughtful, engineering-led approach that turns a notoriously difficult acoustic environment into one that sounds remarkably controlled.
Powering the speaker array are Yamaha XMV-4280 amplifiers, delivering reliable, high-quality amplification across the entire installation. At the heart of the system sits the Yamaha MTX3 audio matrix processor, which handles all signal routing and processing with the sophistication the venue demands.
One of the most practical features of the MTX3 in this environment is its automatic ducking capability. When a tannoy announcement is triggered, the processor seamlessly reduces the background music level, ensures the announcement is delivered with clarity, and then smoothly restores the music. It is an elegant, hands-off solution that means staff can focus on running the facility rather than managing audio levels.
Seeing this system come together in a charity-run facility that serves the local community is incredibly satisfying. Every young person who walks through those doors hears audio that is every bit as good as a top-tier commercial venue. That is what this project means to us.
John Perry Technical Audio Sales Manager, HabitechPitt St Skatepark is not simply a commercial installation. It is a charity-run community facility that provides young people with a safe space to develop their skills, build confidence, and connect with others. The audio system plays a vital role in creating an atmosphere that feels professional, energising, and welcoming from the moment visitors walk through the door.
For New Land Group and Habitech, delivering a solution of this calibre for a community-focused venue carries a particular sense of pride. The quality of the installation ensures that Pitt St Skatepark can offer an experience that rivals any commercial leisure facility, reinforcing the message that community spaces deserve the very best technology.
Pitt St Skatepark stands as a compelling example of what happens when acoustic expertise, precision engineering, and the right technology come together. From a disused supermarket to a world-class indoor skatepark with flawless audio coverage, the project demonstrates that exceptional sound design is not reserved for premium commercial venues alone.
It is a testament to the collaborative approach of New Land Group and Habitech, and to the versatility of the Yamaha Commercial product range, that a community facility can sound this good.
Compact line array columns engineered to overcome the cavernous acoustics of the converted supermarket space.
Multi-channel amplifiers delivering consistent, high-output power to every speaker across the expansive skatepark floor.
Matrix processor providing precise zone control and tuning to maintain clarity in a challenging high-reverberation environment.
New Land Group
AV integration
Habitech
Technical audio support and distribution